New London to fill council vacancy during special election in May

By KARYN SPORY

Mt. Pleasant News

NEW LONDON ? The New London City Council met in special session Thursday morning to formally accept the resignation of a council member and discuss the vacancy of the city?s police chief.

Councilman Greg Thu resigned prior to the council meeting on Tuesday, March 3, but since it wasn?t on the agenda, the council couldn?t take any action on his abrupt departure.

Thursday morning, the council approved Thu?s resignation in a 3-0 vote, with council members Dan Berner, Greg Malott and Kirk Miller all voting yes. Councilman Frank Staley was absent from the meeting.

As for filling the vacant council seat, City Clerk Kasi Howard said the council would have the option to appoint an individual to the seat until the next election. However, with a special election coming up in May for the Local Option Sales Tax, she advised the council to just proceed for the next two meetings with the seat vacant and have the public vote in the newest member.

The council agreed with Howard and approved a resolution to filling the vacant position during the May special election.

The council also approved purchasing a Chevy Tahoe police vehicle from Karl?s Chevrolet. The council had approved the purchase of a new police vehicle at its regularly scheduled meeting last week, but Howard wanted more clarification as to which vehicle they wanted.

Howard said there was a Chevy Tahoe for $30,000 or a heavy duty package Tahoe, equipped with upgraded brakes and electrical system for just over $31,000.

Berner said he would be concerned with a liability case if the city did not purchase the vehicle with the police package. Especially since it was only an $800 difference in price.

The council approved the purchase of the Tahoe with the police package for $31,226.

In regards to the vacant police chief position, Howard said the position had to be posted for a minimum of 10 days.

?According to our ordinance code, the mayor has the authority to appoint that position. Maybe we would be better to discuss and consider that and then hire a police offer (internally) than looking for a police chief (elsewhere),? said Malott.

Berner agreed that if someone were interested internally he would approve that.

Howard said she would post the open position in the window of the city office for the minimum ten days and have an agenda item for next month?s meeting if there were to be an internal appointment the council could approve.

Finally, the council set a $3,500 limit to purchase a blade for its new tractor. Miller stated there?s to be an auction in Mt. Pleasant on March 20 and he felt if the city could find a 10-foot or nine-foot blade within that limit they should purchase instead of waiting to buy a new one at price point closer to $5,000. The council approved the measure.

The council?s next regularly scheduled meeting will be at 5 p.m., Tuesday, April 7, 2015, in the city office.